The BISHOP of LONDONpresented a petition from the Clergymen of Parishes on the line of the Eastern Counties Railway against railway travelling on Sunday. The right rev. Prelate stated, that the petition complained heavily of the great number of persons carried along this line on the Sabbath, and instancing Easter Sunday last, when crowds of people were conveyed for the purpose of attending the Newmarket meeting on the following day, on which occasion a dreadful accident occurred on the railway. For some years, 28 when he was minister of a parish in that part of the country, much annoyance was caused by the assembling of people in the immediate neighbourhood of his church to see the carriages of the great people who passed that way, and who were frequently seen adding to the desecration of the Sabbath of which they were guilty by playing at cards, to the great injury of the feelings of the religiously disposed. By his remonstrances, however, with influential persons, this evil was, in a great measure, removed; but it now seemed to be revived with increased intensity since the establishment of the railway and the running of trains on that day. He hoped their Lordships would interfere to check this evil, and to restrict railway traffic as much as possible to the necessities of commerce.
§ EARL FITZWILLIAMconcurred with the right rev. Prelate in the hope that this evil would be checked. He was aware of the efforts which he had put forth for the suppression of the improper behaviour on Sundays, to which he had alluded, many years ago, and of the success which on that occasion attended his application to a high personage and the members of the Jockey Club for that object; and he thought him entitled to the gratitude of their Lordships for having moved so energetically in the matter. In one thing he differed from the right rev. Prelate. He thought there should be no commercial traffic on railways on Sundays; that there should be no kind of traffic permitted which had gain in view. It might be matter of consideration with their Lordships whether it would be advisable to interfere with railway traffic so far as it related to the conveyance of passengers; but he had no doubt whatever that it was the duty of Parliament to stop all commercial traffic. The necessities of commerce meant nothing more than the necessities of filling our pockets.
The BISHOP of LONDONexplained, that the reason why he did not press for the abolition of commercial traffic, to which he was no doubt disposed, was, that a few years ago, when he opposed commercial traffic on Sunday, he was informed by noble Lords that to enforce such a thing would put a stop to the whole trade of the country.
LORD BROUGHAMthought it was impossible to draw a distinction between travelling for gain and merely travelling for recreation.
LORD CAMPBELLwas in favour of goods traffic being stopped on Sunday, but 29 thought allowance ought to be made for the conveyance of passengers.
LORD BROUGHAMhad a case in point which had just come to his recollection. The Bank of England was saved from insolvency, after the directors had sat from nine till twelve o'clock on Saturday night waiting for the means of relief, by the arrival of a large amount of money next day, being the Sabbath.
§ The matter then dropped.